Enbridge wants to pipe crude oil underneath Durham

Environmentalist worries about risk to Lake Ontario

Enbridge wants to pipe crude oil underneath Durham

Ron Pietroniro / Metroland

CLARINGTON -- Jessica Buttery, a local resident and an environmental science student at Queens University, is concerned about proposed new use for an existing Enbridge pipeline. Enbridge wants to reverse the flow of the Line 9 pipeline to carry Tar Sands oile from Alberta to a refinery in Montreal. February 22, 2013.

Pipeline concerns

Ron Pietroniro / Metroland

CLARINGTON -- Jessica Buttery, a local resident and an environmental science student at Queens University, is concerned about a proposed new use for an existing Enbridge pipeline. Enbridge wants to reverse the flow of the Line 9 pipeline to carry Tar Sands oile from Alberta to a refinery in Montreal. February 22, 2013.

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Fast facts

- The cheaper crude oil for refineries won't necessarily translate into lower prices at the gas pump. "Lowering gas prices, that type of thing, we can't make any predictions on that. There are many factors in the market," said Mr. White.

- A total of 300,000 barrels will be sent along Line 9, up to 50,000 barrels of that could be heavy crude oil.

- If the line reversal is approved, Enbridge plans to do an "aggressive integrity dig," according to Mr. White, to check the exterior condition of the pipeline. If the company finds repairs are needed, they will be done before the line is re-buried and the soil returned to its original state.

CLARINGTON -- A proposed new use for an Enbridge pipeline that runs through Durham Region is raising questions from a local environmentalist.

"I don't think we should be going into it blind when there are so many risks," said Jessica Buttery, a Bowmanville resident and environmental science student at Queen's University.

Enbridge is applying for permission to reverse the flow of the pipeline to carry heavy crude oil from the Alberta tar sands to a Montreal refinery. The underground pipeline, called Line 9, passes through Durham in north Pickering, north Ajax, between Whitby and Brooklin, north Oshawa and through north Clarington, between Newcastle and Orono.

Enbridge said it will provide a safe, secure supply of discounted Canadian crude oil, $25 to $35 a barrel cheaper than international oil.

The pipeline currently carries offshore crude oil in the other direction, from Montreal to refineries in Sarnia, with a current capacity of 240,000 barrels per day.

Ms. Buttery said sending a heavier, more corrosive oil through the pipeline carries a huge risk of leaking.

"Because the pipeline is so old, mixed with the fact there's so much more corrosive chemicals, makes it more likely there will be a spill," said Ms. Buttery.

Graham White, a spokesman for Enbridge, said heavy oil has to be processed and upgraded before travelling a long-range transmission line such as the one passing through Durham Region.

"There is very little difference between a heavy crude and light crude once it's in a line," said Mr. White. "There is no difference in corrosivity between a light and heavy crude."

Ms. Buttery pointed out a 2010 Enbridge Michigan pipeline leak that spilled 19,000 barrels of oil into the Kalamazoo River. She said the heavier crude oil sinks in water, unlike conventional oil which floats, and makes it much more difficult to clean up a spill.

"This pipeline is closer to Lake Ontario than that pipeline was to the Kalamazoo River," said Ms. Buttery. "Line 9 crosses under a lot of important rivers that feed into Lake Ontario."

An independent regulator's investigation found the Michigan spill was not caused by internal corrosion on the pipeline, said Mr. White. There was a combination of factors that caused the spill: external corrosion and metal fatigue, improperly interpreted evaluation results and the first leak wasn't detected -- which meant two batches of oil were sent through the pipeline before the spill was discovered, he said.

"We made many, many changes on every level to ensure nothing like that happens again," said Mr. White. "To our entire system and our entire company. It's really been a complete cultural change."

He said that cleaning up the heavier oil is the same in terms of logistics and equipment needed.

The National Energy Board will be holding public hearings on the Line 9 reversal proposal, but hasn't announced when or where.